Air Dry Clay Christmas Decorations for Your Home

Everything you need for your home decor pieces

• White air dry clay: the base for almost everything here
• Rolling pin with guides: for even slabs, about 6 mm thick
• Cutters: stars, trees, houses, and scalloped edges
• Texture tools: a lace doily, leaf, fork, needle tool, or toothpick
• Fine-grit sandpaper: for smoothing edges after drying
• Acrylic and gold paint: white, ivory, sage, and blush, with gold for edges
• Clear sealer: matte or satin, for 2 to 3 thin coats
• LED tea lights and fairy lights: battery-operated only
• Jute and twine: for hanging garlands
• Glass or metal inserts: small glass votives or metal cups, so a real candle never touches clay
• A wooden tray or long board: for displaying a village or forest as one piece

Templates for the trees, village, and candle holders

• Christmas Tree Ceramic Lantern Template by Chanchanpottery: the template I use for the pierced tree luminaries in projects 2 and 9
• Christmas Tree Lantern Pottery Template by SlabCraftCo: another tree lantern option for projects 2 and 9
• Three Tea Light Houses Template by UIObjectDesign: for the village houses and house tealight holders in projects 5, 8, and 10
• Christmas Ornament Clay Cutter Set (75 mm) by Lulicutter: for cutting tree and holiday shapes
• Christmas Pottery Templates Set of 4 by CerAtelier: tree, gnome, bell, and gift box slab-building templates
• Gingerbread Luminary Village Template by MyPotteryNest: a 3-house tealight village for projects 5, 8, and 10
• Holly Berry Tealight Holder Template by BloomCozyNest: a lantern template for the candle holders in projects 9 to 12
• Pottery Advent Candle Wreath Template by PotteryPattern: a candle wreath with four candle cups for the mantel or table
• Holly Christmas Wreath Pottery Template by GaiaPotteryStore: a holly-and-berry clay wreath for the mantel
• Dwarf Candle Holder Pottery Template by ceramixis: a slab-built Christmas dwarf luminary for projects 9 to 12

You’ll need: White air dry clay, a paper cone form, a craft knife, sandpaper, paint, and gold paint.

1. Wrap clay around paper cones to make three trees, 12, 18, and 25 cm tall.
2. Smooth with a damp finger, trim the base flat, and slide the form out.
3. Dry 48 to 72 hours, sand the base, then paint and add a gold line.

Jennifer’s tip: Style them on a shelf or entry console with books and an LED tea light.

You’ll need: White air dry clay, a Christmas tree luminary template, a straw and needle tool, and an LED tea light.

1. Cut two matching tree shapes from a 6 mm slab, using a tree template.
2. Pierce stars and dots into one face, then join the trees with a clay strip.
3. Dry 48 hours, sand, paint white, seal, and add an LED tea light.

Jennifer’s tip: Put three on the mantel. The light through the holes is magical at night.

You’ll need: White air dry clay, a large tree cutter or paper template, sandpaper, and paint.

1. Roll a slab and cut three flat trees in different sizes.
2. Smooth the edges, dry flat for 24 to 48 hours, flipping once, then paint white.
3. Brush gold along the edges and add a tiny star at the top, then stand them up.

Jennifer’s tip: These are perfect for a narrow mantel.

You’ll need: White air dry clay, a wooden tray, small tree cutters, bottle brush trees, faux snow, and LED fairy lights.

1. Make 7 to 9 small trees in different heights, then dry and seal them.
2. Arrange them on the tray, tallest at the back and smallest at the front.
3. Tuck bottle brush trees between them, add faux snow, and weave fairy lights through the back.

Jennifer’s tip: This is my favourite dining table centrepiece. It’s low, and you can lift it off as one tray.

You’ll need: White air dry clay, a three tea light houses template, a craft knife, 5 LED tea lights, and a long board.

1. Cut house slabs from a template and build five houses in different heights.
2. Cut a door, windows, and a back opening in each house, then join the edges with slip.
3. Dry 48 to 72 hours, paint white and cream, seal, and add an LED tea light.

Jennifer’s tip: Put the tallest house in the middle, with the heights stepping down on each side.

You’ll need: White air dry clay, a house cutter or paper template, sandpaper, white paint, and battery fairy lights.

1. Cut 5 to 7 flat houses in a range of sizes, and pierce a window and door in each.
2. Dry flat for 24 to 48 hours, sand, paint white, and stand them in a row.
3. Drape battery fairy lights just behind the row, so the light glows through the windows.

Jennifer’s tip: This is the easiest village, and the loveliest at night.

You’ll need: White air dry clay, brown acrylic paint, white puffy paint, a house template, and LED tea lights.

1. Build 3 to 4 simple houses from slabs, with windows, doors, and a back opening. Dry 48 to 72 hours.
2. Paint the houses a warm gingerbread brown, seal once, then pipe white icing lines along the roofs and windows.
3. Set them on a tray with an LED tea light inside each house, and cinnamon sticks beside them.

Jennifer’s tip: Style them on a kitchen shelf or the dining table.

You’ll need: White air dry clay, a large tray, 4 to 5 small houses, bottle brush trees, faux snow, LED tea lights, and pinecones.

1. Make 4 to 5 houses in different sizes, dry, paint in cream and sage, and seal.
2. Arrange them on the tray with space between them, with an LED tea light inside each.
3. Add bottle brush trees, faux snow, and two or three pinecones. Keep the centre low.

Jennifer’s tip: This is the wow piece for the table. Carry it to the mantel after dinner.

You’ll need: White air dry clay, a tree luminary template, a straw and needle tool, and LED tea lights.

1. Cut a tree shape from a slab using a tree luminary template, then pierce stars and dots.
2. Form it into a hollow luminary, joining the back seam with slip. Dry 48 hours.
3. Sand, paint ivory, seal, then place a battery LED tea light inside.

Jennifer’s tip: Make three in different heights. The holes cast tiny stars on the wall.

You’ll need: White air dry clay, a clay house template, a craft knife, LED tea lights, and a small glass votive.

1. Build a small house from slabs, with a pitched roof, door, and windows. Leave the base open.
2. Dry 48 to 72 hours, sand, paint cream or sage, add gold around the door, and seal.
3. Use an LED tea light inside, or a small glass votive for a real tea light.

Jennifer’s tip: Put one on each side of the mantel.

You’ll need: White air dry clay, a star or scalloped cutter, a small glass votive, sandpaper, and gold paint.

1. Cut a wide star or scalloped circle, then build a low wall around the edge, about 5 cm high.
2. Smooth the rim, dry flat for 24 to 48 hours, sand the base level, paint white, and add gold.
3. Set a small glass votive inside the clay dish, and place your candle inside the glass.

Jennifer’s tip: These are lovely in a row of three. The glass insert makes them safe.

You’ll need: White air dry clay, a small metal taper holder insert, a craft knife, sandpaper, and paint.

1. Roll a small, thick base, about 8 cm across and 2 cm thick. Press the metal insert into the centre, then remove it.
2. Dry 24 to 48 hours, sand, paint, and seal. Set the metal insert back into the hole.
3. Place a taper candle in the metal insert only. The metal protects the clay.

Jennifer’s tip: Make a pair for the dining table, with plain white tapers.

You’ll need: White air dry clay, star cutters in 2 sizes, jute twine, a needle tool, and gold paint.

1. Cut 9 to 11 stars in two sizes, and pierce a hole at the top of each. Dry flat for 24 to 48 hours, flipping once.
2. Sand and paint them white, with gold on every second star. Thread jute twine through, knotting behind each one.
3. Drape it across the mantel in a soft swag, with the ends hanging down a little.

Jennifer’s tip: Add greenery behind the garland. The green makes the white stars pop.

You’ll need: White air dry clay, small house and tree cutters, jute twine, a needle tool, and paint.

1. Cut 5 small houses and 5 small trees, and pierce a hole at the top of each. Dry flat, sand, and paint.
2. Thread them onto jute twine in a house-tree pattern, knotting behind each piece.
3. Hang it along a staircase banister or across a doorway, letting it swag gently.

Jennifer’s tip: Keep the pieces small for a staircase, about 6 to 7 cm tall, so they hang neatly.

You’ll need: White air dry clay, star cutters, dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, and jute twine.

1. Make 7 to 9 small clay stars, dry them, paint white or leave them natural ivory, and seal.
2. Thread the stars onto jute twine, alternating each star with a dried orange slice and a cinnamon stick.
3. Hang it on the mantel or across a window. The oranges add colour and scent.

Jennifer’s tip: This one is beautiful above a dining table centrepiece.

You’ll need: White air dry clay, ground cinnamon, star cutters, jute twine, and a needle tool.

1. Knead 1 to 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon into the white clay, then roll it out, cut 9 stars, and pierce a hole in each.
2. Dry flat for 24 to 48 hours, sand lightly, seal once, and thread onto jute twine.
3. Hang it in a hallway, on a mantel, or on a staircase where people brush past it.

Jennifer’s tip: Don’t overdo the cinnamon. Too much can make the clay crumbly.

Keep your clay decor looking new

• Seal with 2 to 3 thin coats. Let each coat dry fully. Thin coats dry clear and smooth.
• LED only inside houses and holders. Battery tea lights and fairy lights are the safe choice.
• Keep them dry. Air dry clay is not waterproof, so keep pieces away from leaks and damp rooms.
• Handle by the base. Don’t pick them up by a roof or thin edge.
• Wrap in tissue to store. Wrap each piece in tissue and store it flat in a box.

Printable templates I love for matching ornaments

• Christmas Ornament Pottery Template (12 Ceramic Ornaments) by MyPotteryNest
• Christmas Bauble Pottery Template by Chanchanpottery
• Snowflake Ornament Pottery Template by Chanchanpottery